Hi everyone--I thought I'd listen to some advice from one of the other monthly groups and start one master thread in which we have an ongoing discussion/updates. I don't know about you all but I certainly spend most of my time on these boards on the pre-op forum and the general forum, not here. It would be nice to have just one thread to go to once in this forum.

We can maybe start out with introductions?

As for me, I'm going the "online privacy" route for now (paranoid that people I haven't told about this will somehow stumble across me on this site I guess, which is crazy, I know) but I can give you the big picture:

You can call me Penny, I'm 27, single and live in the Washington, DC area. I have a background in politics (which is why I live in DC) but now I'm a librarian which is much cooler and way more fun (trust me on that). Oh, and there's no "Marion the Librarian" thing with me either. One of the things I hear most frequently (besides the cliche "you have such a pretty face") is "but you don't LOOK like a librarian", which is another one of those bizarre backhanded compliments that you never really know how to take.

Personality wise, I'm kind of dorky, big into public radio and books and popular science. Oh, I'm also a little on the paranoid side (as you may be able to tell from earlier in this post). Beyond that I'm just kind of silly and friendly, VERY much so into traveling and I'm an aspiring "green" domestic diva (but that's not going so well).

Hello July Butterflies!

Thanks to PennyLane for starting this master thread, I was wondering how the heck I´m going to be able to weed through all the different threads to find everyone that is at the same stage as I am at.

It´s my 40th birthday today and I got my band done on Tuesday 1st July in Brussels by Dr Chris DE Bruyne. This was my gift to myself instead of having a birthday party.

I live in Sweden, no children, I am a business systems trainer, which means that I get to go around Europe and train people to use our computer system.

I have been overweight all my life, I don´t remember ever being thin. So this is going to be a huge change to my life. I am excited about the new journey and I want to do this sensibly. I don´t want to land up getting sick by starving myself. This band is only a tool that will help my brain and stomach talk to each other.

So far I am doing very well. I have not had any problems besides some nausea and a bit of pain when I move too quickly.

No gas pain at all.

At first I was going to do this on my own. Thank heaven my husband insisted on coming with me, I don´t think I would have made it home with bags, trains, flights etc on my own.

Good luck everyone.

By supporting each other we will have a huge positive impact on our own lives.

Hi all,

I'm Michelle and I'm getting my band on the 18th. I start the Protein shake thing tomorrow and am more nervous about that than the actual surgery. I'm also a little nervous about the INJECTIONS! WHAT....I did not previously know about the blood thinner medication I would have to take post surgery. Apparently, I have to inject myself in my stomach once a day with Lovenox for 2 weeks after surgery. It's to prevent clots I guess. The doctor told me I can call the nurse if I need help. Oh yes, she'll be getting a phone call every day! Does anyone else have any experience with this?

I'm nervous about the shakes, too. I haven't heard about post operative injections, so I have no idea. I hope I don't have to do that!

Orea

Hi and welcome!

I'm off to Belguim on my own on Sunday!- being banded on Wednesday and hoping to fly home the following Sunday. I am going it alone, and intend to get the Taxi back to the airport, wheelie case and probably doped up on pain killers.. I am staying at the hotyel an extra day because of this.. whats your opinion on how I'll fair? and any tips for me?

Double congrats by the way- I am also a cancerian.. and in my early 40's.. would be great to here how you get on..

M x

Hi there Siouxsie,

From what I saw at the hospital everyone reacts differently. I was lucky in that I had no severe after op pain. The nausea was bearable. I will suggest that before you go in for the op stock up on some bottled Water, drinking yogurt, some actimel, and a few packets of Soup. This will save you the time and hassel of trying to find this stuff after the op.

There were two people that were not happy campers after the op at all. They were both in severe pain, one lady insisted that she stay an additional night at the hospital. I have no idea if she succeeded or not.

The hospital is fantastic! The staff amazing and helpful, although a little slow to respond at times, but obviously they have so many patients you just have to wait when you call them.

One thing I can suggest is that Dr Chris will tell you to be at the hospital by 7:oo am to register in for the operation. Get there before 6:30am. The waiting queue is terrible. They only had two people manning the desks and it took me forever to get to the front. Also the earlier you get booked in, you´ll get your op done earlier too. I think they work on a first come first serve basis.

The taxi drivers all seem to speak English so you won´t have a problem with that. The trains are also pretty easy and cheap to get around in. Take as little as possible, you really don´t want to carry much more than a small handbag after the op. Buy some magazines for the days you will be at the hotel.

Hmmm, can´t think of anything else right now, feel free to contact me if you have any other questions.

Mrs J.J.

Thanks 'Mrs JJ'

Already stocked up at home with what you suggested- and with homemade clear chicken soup here in the freezer!- I appreciate the 'get there early' suggestion! .. I have a small wheelie suitcase- nothing to carry realy.. soft sport bra.. baggy elasticated gear to travel in and although I am going to get to hotel by public transport.. I will avail myself of the Taxi right back to the airport.. so as long as I dont faint or anything stupid.. I have an inflatable travel pillow, incase I need padding & Hubby will meet me at the airport at this end.. I am a pain baby !.. I have booked one extra night at hotel post op because of this.. so I'll be traveling on the 4th day post op.. I am a determined little bunny.. so fingers crossed eh! ( should I take drinks like actimel with me?).. I'm with Dr Dilliemans by the way..

You don´t need to take any of the food and drink stuff with you. They are easily available at the stores, just buy enough to last you for the few days you´ll be there.

Good luck for tommorrow.. Thanks to all who are chatting .. I'm gutted I cant take a lap-top.. but It would be a silly extra thing to carry home afterwards.. Still .. setting off tommorrow.. to Belgium, surgery hopefully on Wednesday.. wont be able to check back till next Sunday.. late! I'mm going too miss you guys!! Got couple of good books.. managed to get some medicine I needed in liquid form yesterday.. by the skin of my teeth..

GOOD LUCK TO US ALL!!!:tt2:

Hello everyone! My name is Marie and I am getting banded on the 16th. I start my preop diet tomorrow. I live in Utah and am going to Colorado to be banded by Dr. kirshenbaum. I am really looking forward to this change in my life. The only time I really remember being at a healthy weight was when I was 13. Then high school started and I had knee problems, and so my activites were limited. And it just kept getting worse. The most I have ever been able to lose in one period of time was 25lbs. But it came right back and then some. I believe now that I am an adult and understand the consequences for my desicions that this will be the best path to get me healthy. I am VERY EXCITED!!!

p.s. My Mom always called m her Butterfly so I LOVE that we are Butterflies!!

I got banded last night around 5:00 in Mexico. I feel okay, I have walked around. Not moving any gas which is extrememly imprortand and when you don't you get stomach cramps that really hurt. They have given me medicine for it and it is still not working. So now I have to be up and around for 2 hours straight. He said that this is really unusual so don't worry about that. Surgery is super qucik and so is recovery and then you go to you hospital room. I hopefully will be living here in a couple of hours and then going to a hotel room which I hope is more comfey!

Congrats on getting your band!! I hope your pains go away, and that your hotel room is super comfy!! :tt2:

Joiful, thanks for checking in with us and letting us know how you are. I've been thinking about you! So sorry you've been uncomfortable. Hope you feel better soon.

Orea

Hang in there Joiful, it will get better, hope you are already at the hotel and feeling comfy. Please know there are lots of people thinking of you and sending you positive vibes.

hi all, sorry i've gone missing for a bit.

i'm having a tough time of things at the moment. i've always planned on doing this self-pay because my insurance doesn't cover it and even if they did, the approval process for most companies sounds like a nightmare that i don't want to deal with.

anyway, i have individual insurance (not group which is what most people get through work) because i used to work in a quickly-changing career path, some jobs didn't have insurance and others i'd go through so quickly the insurance never kicked in so it was just easier and safer to keep an individual policy.

well, they just canceled my policy (effective may 15th!) because they "haven't received my past due payment" which is funny because the letter came on the same day as a refund of payment for the months of may and june. so....which one is it? i didn't pay them or they're sending my payment back? basically, i think they found out about the surgery (the hospital billed the pre-op blood tests to the insurance even though i told them i thought it was a bad idea for this very reason. they assured me it would be fine. ha.). i think the insurance company freaked when they found out about the surgery and went into my file looking for any reason to cancel and found one (my april check arrived 3 days late) and canceled my policy retroactively.

so it doesn't effect my surgery (directly) but now.....i've read a lot of people on here who have tried to get individual insurance after surgery and have been denied because of the surgery. so it seems that i'll never be able to get individual insurance ever again! which means that i'll have to stick with a job with a group policy or just "wing it" and go without! i don't want to find myself in the position of being without insurance and then getting hit by a drunk driver or finding out i have cancer or something......especially if being without insurance could be avoided by not having the lap band surgery.

i'm starting to wonder if i should just cancel the whole thing over this! i just don't know what to do. :thumbup:

i am perfectly capable and willing to pay a high monthly rate because i'm a higher risk after surgery. my money is green like everyone else's! what is the ISSUE? it's things like this that really make me hate living in this country and that makes me really sad because i actually (usually) love this country! i've been in public service in one way or another since i was 14 years old and i just feel so betrayed and like a "throw away person" and sad and overwhelmed.

thanks for reading this far if you have. i just don't know what to do!

:frown:

-penny

Hi all, I'm Lacey, 28, mom of a 6 year old little girl and a military wife. I finally got through all the TRICARE (insurance) hurdles and am scheduled to be banded by Dr. Nye at Baptist Hospital in Pensacola on the 22nd.

I've been bigger almost my whole life, hovering ab=round 160-165 at 5'2" through HS and college. I got married and went off the pill, only to gain 60 pounds in 3 months. It was then that we discovered I had PCOS and infertility. More weight gained through treatments and then pregnancy. At my highest I was 265 but have stayed at 230-235 for the last 2 years. While we lived in the UK, I was offered gastric bypass but was unwilling to take a step that drastic with a little one. Once I discovered, TRICARE was now covering lapband, I promptly made an appt with my PCM. She was willing to put in the referral, knowing my history (I also have bcp induced high blood pressure) but we soon found out after some blood work that I have a form of leukemia. After getting all that learned about, etc, my oncologist gave her blessing for lapband and here I am.

Looking forward to sharing with all of you!